Apparatus for storing stacked articles



` Sept 21, 1948. w. J. GIBBs 2,449,892

APPARATUS FOR STORING STACKED ARTICLES Filed Feb. 17, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l maentor 740 af. v `Gttmmeg Sept. 21, 1948. w. J. GIBBs APPARATUS FOR STORING STACKED ARTICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 17, 1945 @man Cttomeg Patented Sept. 21, 1948 'ifUzNir-Ep mires PAT-sem .om-CE .PBARATUS fFQR STRINGWSTACKED -ArRTICLES "William J. Gibbs, BrooklymN. Y. Application February 17, 194'5,S'erialiNo. 578,385 11i-claims. (creta- 71) This yinvention relates to devices for iholding and .feeding .stacked articles and preferably. ythose of -.un.iform size .and weight. More ,rparticularly, it relates to devices for holding and rdispensing stacked. articles such .as trays v.the .device `can Abe appliedto stackedvplates, saucers, bowls .or any other uniform article capable of .beingstacked .The present structures .relateto .improvements in devices for holding .and ieeding ,stacked articles of .the .type .shown and .described .in my .Patents 2,226,308,.issued.Dec.eniber.2.4,il940,.and 2,251,876,

issued August 5, 1941.

.One-.of the .objects .of the inventiomamong others? vis .the provision o'i improved .devices .for holding .and `feeding stacked .articleslso ,that the uppermost unit of a .stack of articles isalways presented for .removal from the device kat -a ,predeterminedlevel with the 4uncieizlying units guided in .a ,protected position for automatic .upward feeding upon the .removal "of .the .uppermost .article or articles. Further o'bjectsfare the provision o'f a device having .'improvedmeanslforrguiding and supporting the s'tackedariticles in their'automatic 'feeding and holding .movement Witlinfthe device; a devicetha'tis simple and .easy of design; that is economical to manufactureand durableiin operation. 'Other .objects `will .bjecome apparent from .the .detailed descriptionof 'the drawing.

In carrying out 'the objectsv ofthe invention there is provided a device Tor hldingandfeeding stacked articles, having a vertical housing, which maybe open or closed, and .may'li'ave atop and..

stacked 'articles lare presented "with the uppermost.

unit yof the 'stack at a predetermined' level with respect to theupper end 4ciftl'ie housing; 'EXten; sible 'and retractable means are connected with the base portion and carrier to guide and'support the carrier in itsvertical motion within .the housing. Ijncarrying out theinvention one compression spring 'or a pluraity .oi-springs maybe used with a single lor plurality o'f extensible .and retractable means as conditions .and requirements may dictate 'for any :specic Adevice Idesired.V The device may be arranged for individual use yor it can be .employedin single or multiple arrangements jin aperturedhorizontal supports, suchfas counters ,or cabinets or thelike. The invention `2, will be better nnderstood .from ,the .following 4detailed .description ',hav'ing reference .to Vtheeaccompanying drawings wherein like referencenu- `meralsihave .been .fused to represent .like .parts throughoutltheseveral .viewaand yin which:

.Figure 1 isa view.inielevationshowingone embodimento'f the .invention without stackedarticles thereon.

.Figure .2 .is .a .view .in velevation .showing'lthe vembodiment .of Figure ,1 with stacked articles thereon.

Fignreisa .partsec'tional view andra part plan viewt'aken on-ithe'linelB-B of Figure 1.

'Figure f4 is .a sectional view taken on theline 4l-d of Figure f3.

Figurebfisa view 'in elevation showing another embodiment ofthe'invention n Figure 6 is ya, part sectional'v'iew .and part 'top plan view 'taken on theline B-T of Figure 5.

vFigure' is aseotional view showing another form the 'invention 'can assume.

"Figure Sis a viewin lelevation showing still anotherembodimnt 0T 'the invention.

.FigurefQ isa 'sectional view 'taken on the line 9--29 of Figure'. y

`Referring to the drawings, an embodiment of the .invention illustrated fin Figures l-to 4, com-l prises aunitary cage structure forming a .hoigi'sf-` ing consisting oi a base lli, spaced vertical guide rods "Il 'and a rectangular member l'Zattaclfed tothe guiderods I'I vforminga top portion. .Y The housing, including .the base `portion and 'top portion 'may be made of `any material desirable but is preferably made asfli'ghtas 'possible so a light metal such .as aluminum or magnesium is employed. v"Ihe guide rods "I'i 'are Vattached rigidly towtheQba's'e portion by any suitable means .such as'riveting, 'as shownat 'i3 in Figure'2, .but `may b'elby any wellknown'attaching method such as' nut" andb'olt "if it is desired to' make tire Arords defz tachablefrom Atllie"base portion. The'topper-V tionof the rods L|-"I vis liared out 'atflll'tof'orm la socket to'r'eceivethe member l2 therein'an'd the rods H Land top yportion ft2 may be'fattach'edb57 any means such as `riveting-'or welding.

A pair or :calibrated compression lsprings f5' sind '-Iivrhave their ilower iends'held in "place by projecting =colilars or'members secured ltothe base portion .10., one yof which is shown fat I1 in'Fi'gure v ciprocable-within the housin'gand has projecting' flange portions -on which the Iupper ends -of the:

hat top disc-like load carrying portion and an integral depending annular ilange of substantial length and which has a loose t within the housing member so the carrier has free vertical movement out of contact with the rods I.

The structure as described up to now is substantially the same as that disclosed in Patents 2,226,308 and 2,251,876` which structures have operated with much success and advantage for their intended purposes. Applicant has found it advantageous, in some instances, to provide a guide and support means for the stacked article carrier that will allow reciprocal movement of the carrier free from any bearing surfaces.

According to this invention the extensible and retractable guide and support means employed are shown in Figures 1 to 4 at 2| las pivotally connected metallic strip members forming a lazytong arrangement. At the bottom, the free ends of two of the lowermost strip members of ealch'lazy-tong are slidably supported in the base IIJ of the housing by a series of socket portions 22 extending along the base I0 (Fig. 3), one of which is also shown at 22 in Figure 4, into which t bearing portions 24 on the ends of two of the lowermost metallic strips of the extensible and retractable member 2|. The outward movement of the bearing portions 24 in socket portions 22 may be limited by engagement with the base portion Ill. Likewise, the carrier |8 has a series of socket portions, one of which is shown at 23 in Figure 4, into which fit bearing portions 25 on the ends of two of the uppermost metallic strips which form the opposite end of the extensible and retractable members 2|. The outward movement oi the bearing portions 25 in socket portions 23 may be limited by engagement thereof with the flange 20. It can be seen that bearing portions 25 are thus pivotally and slidably mounted in the sockets 23 and the bearing portion 24 are pivotally 'and slidably mounted in the sockets 22. The other pair of uppermost and lowermost strip members of each lazy-tong are pivotally connected to each other. The bottoms of the extensible members are not movable vertically since the base portion ID is not vertically movable. The carrier I8 is vertically movlable, hence the socket 23 and bearing portion 25 move therewith and extend or retract the member 2| depending upon which direction the carrier |8 moves.

The series of members making up the extensible and retractable member pivot to extend as shown in Figure 1 and Fig-ure 2 shows the position taken lby the member 2| when the lcarrier is loaded and the member retracted. As the extensible and retractable member becomes extended, its width is diminished while its width increases as it is retracted. The extensible and retractable member is so proportioned that it will be fully contained within the housing member when fully compressed. The members 2| shown in Figure 4 respond instantly to the force of the springs or weight placed on the carrier to aid in guiding and supporting thefcarrier in` its vertical movement within the housing.

The members 2| must possess sulcient rigidity to serve their function as a guide and support means and must still be flexible. The members 2| are adjusted as to the -force needed to expand or contract the members by the rigidity of Athe pivotal points, connecting each of the metallic strip members making up the 'lazy-tong arrangement.

The lazy-tong extensible and retractable member 2| is thus free to expand or contract by the separate metallic strip members making up the member, each pivoting about the metallic strip member to which it is connected in a manner well known for the lazy-tong. With the lazytong arrangement there are no bearing surfaces for the` carrier |,8 in its vertical movement in the housing hence there is no possibility of any binding with the horusing in the vertical movement of the carrier. The extensible and retractable members 2| act to support the carrier in a |level plane` in'its vertical movement within the housing and in this way guide the movement of the carrier out of contact with the housing even though there be a component of force on the lcarrier.

The springs i5 and l5 are of such stock and design as to provide for full compression of the springs rwithout causing the springs to bulge intermediate their ends. The springs employed are calibrated -for articles of a given weight so that, with a'stacked load of articles on the carrier, the uppermost unit of the stock will always be .A presented for removal 'from the stack at la predetermined level 4with regard to the upper end of the housing.

It is thought that operation of the device will have become apparent from the foregoing description but it may be mentioned that the |loading of the'device is accomplished by placing the stacked articles directly on the carrier or on top of other stacked articles already on the carrier. The springs are compressed in accordance with the load on the carrier and to such an extent that the uppermost article of the stack presents itself for removal at a position at the top of the device. With the removal of an article or articles from the top of the stack, the springs automatically expand to raise the stack a given distance for each decrement in the weight of the load. The entire assembly provides a novel unitary storage and dispensing structure accommodating in protected manner a maximum number of articles Ain a minimum of space, thus avoiding breakage and alleviating the necessity of a user stooping or reaching upward over shelvesl and the like. For cleaning, the device maybe subjected to ordinary washing in any known manner.

The invention is shown taking la different form in Figures 5 and 6 from that shown in Figures 1 to 4. In Figures 5 and 6, the housing and carrier are the same structure as shown in Figures 1 to 4. Instead of just two extensibleand contractable members as shown in Figures 1 to 4, the present modification provides forur; three being shown at 3|, 32, and 33. One lazy-tong is located at each side of the housing and all the *lazy-tongs surround a single spring means 35. Where a single spring means is employed, additionalsupportling means for the carrier is provided by the four extensible and contnactable members.

Figure `7 shows another modification of the device where two springs 45 Yand 46 are e-mplloyed but with only a single extensible and retra'ctable member 4| located between the two spring members 45 and 46.

Still another modilcation carrying out the principles lof the invention, is shown in Figures 8 and 9 wherein two compression springs 55 and 56 are employed, along with three extensible and retractable members 5|, 52 and 53, with one of the .extensible and retractable members 52 Abeing:between :the two spring Amexrdeers 155 mad i6 4vvliilelth-e other 'two extensible and retractable -members 511 :and '3 are yon the other isidesao'f the springs 55 and 56 and lall three extensible and retractable members v'are in '-paralllel relationship to each other. e

"While the invention 'been described 'in =con nection with speciiic embodiments, it is `to frbe nnderstoodthat the iwords which-have been used are words ofy description ratherthagn of rl`Ilimitation, and that practice of the invention within the scope of the appended claims may be nrestorted to without departing from the true scope of invention aill'of 'its aspects l. A device for Vfeeding fand Aholi'ling stacked arlticlles, comprising -a' housing hav-inge. ibase portion' and a rtop portion, acarrier for stacked articles reciprocable within the housing, Itheitop portion of said housing being provided lwith an opening-coextensive 'with said carrier to permit articles to be placed on the carrier, helical compression spring'means disposed between said carrierand base portion to `motivate said carrier and its load of stacked articles, and-extensible K and retractable means connected with the base portion and carrier, said last mentioned means being .sa lazy-tong, said lazy-tong including -sepnratelpaiis .of links .at `the .topiand bottom ofthe iazy-tong which ,are slidably fconnected to said basse Portionend .carrier .and movable out-wardiy thereon during the contraction of said lazy-tong, sai-,d spring means .being A,calibrated to .support .Said carrier in various positions wherein 'the y`outer face of the outermost article of a stack f of uniform articles on the carrier will be disposed at a predetermined level.

2. A device for feeding and holding stacked articles, comprising a housing having a base portion and a. top portion, a carrier for stacked articles reciprocable within the housing, the top portion of said housing being provided with an opening coextensive with said carrier to permit artilcles to be placed on the carrier, calibrated compression spring means disposed between said carrier and base portion to raise and lower said carrier at a uniform predetermined distance of travel corresponding with the weight of each increment and decrement added to and removed :from the articles supported by the carrier to maintain the uppermost article supported by said carrier at a constant predetermined level, and a plurality of extensible and retractable lazy-tongs connected with the base portion and carrier and arranged in substantially parallel relationship for maintaining said carrier free from tilting.

3. A device for feeding and holding stacked articles, comprising a housing having avbase portion and a top portion, a carrier for stacked articles reciprocable Iwithin the housing, the top portion of said housing being provided with an opening coextensive with said carrier to permit articles to be placed on the carrier, a plurality of helical compression springs disposed between said carrier and base portion to motivate said carrier and its load of stacked articles, and extensible and retractable means connected with the base portion and carrier, said last mentioned :means being a lazytong slidably connected to said base portion and carrier, said compression springs being calibrated to collectively support said carrier in variofus positions wherein the outer face of the outermost article of a stack of uniform articles on the carrier will be disposed at a predetermined level.

4. :device for' ifeeding and holding stacked articles, comprising a housing having a'lbase Ipor-- tion vainda top'portion, :a carrier for stacked Jar-1 tioles reoiprocaible'withinthe housing, the top portion fofsaid Ihousing beifng provided with an opening fcoextensive with said :carrier 'to penm'i-t articles tobe pla-ced on the carrier, 'a plurality of tcalibrated compression springs disposed "between said carrier land"base-portion vto motivate 'said'. carrier `and `its fload of lstacked articles 'and a plurallity of extensible and retractable means connectedwith thebase yportion and lcarrier and arranged substantially parallel relationship, eachoif said last mentioned means being a-llazy'- tong.

5. Adevice for feeding and lholding stacked 'artiol'es, yomnprising'arhousi-ng of substantially rectanguiaiwcross section having a base portion and a ltop portion, a carrier ttor stacked articles'reciprocable Within 'fthe r:ho-using, the top "portion L' each yside ofthe l'housing and surroundingthe compression spring Ameans lto maintain said carrier "level, each fof said retractable and extensible means being 4a-lazy--tong 6. `vdevice aforfieed-ing and holding stacked (articles, comprising a housing having a base portion and a top portion, a carrier for stacked articles reciprocable within the housing, the top portion of said housing being provided with an opening coextensive with said carrier to permit artilcles to be placed on the carrier, a plurality of compression spring means disposed between said carrier and base portion to motivate said carrier. and its load of stacked articles and a single extensible and retractable means connected with the base portion and carrier and located between the spring members, said last mentioned means being a *lazy-tong.

'7. A device for feeding and holding stacked articles, comprising a housing having a base portion and a top portion, a carrier for stacked articles reciprocable within the housing, the top portion of said housing being provided with an opening lcoextensive with said carrier to permit articles to be piaced on the carrier, a pair of calibrated compression springs disposed between said carrier and base portion to maintain the to-p of the stack of articles supported on said carrier at a predetermined constant level, and extensible and retractable means connected with the base portion and carrier located in parallel relationship, with one extensible and retractable means located along two sides of the housing, each of said last mentioned means being a lazy-tong.

8. A device of the character described for feeding and holding stacked articies, comprising a housing having a base portion and a top portion, a carrier ior stacked articles reciprocable within the housing, the top portion of said housing being provided with an opening coeXtensiVe with said carrier to permit articles to be placed on the carrier, compression spring means disposed between said carrier and base portion to motivate said carrier and its load of stacked articles, said spring means being calibrated and adapted to expand and raisestacked articles on the carrier la given distancev for each given decrement in the weight of the load whereby said stacked articles are presented with the uppermost unit of the stack at a predetermined level Withrespect to the upper end of the housing, and extensible and retractable means lconnected With the base porltion and carrier to guide and support the carrier in a level position in its movement within the housing, said last mentioned means being a azytong.

9. A device of the character describedrfor feeding and holding stacked articles, comprising a housing having a base portion and a top portion, a carrier for stacked articles reciprocable within the housing, the top portion of said housing being provided with an opening coextensive with said Icarrier to permit articles to be placed on the carrier, compression spring means disposed between said carrier and base portion to motivate said carrier and its load of stacked articles, said springmeans being calibrated and adapted to expand and naise stacked articles on thecarrier a given distance for each given decrement in the Weight of the load whereby said stacked articles are presented with the uppermost unit of the stack at a predetermined level With respect to the upper end of the housing, and extensible and retractable means connected with the base portion and carrier to guide and support the carrier in a level position in its movement within the housing, said last mentioned means including a plurality of lazy-tongs, one of said lazy-tongs extending longitudinally of said carrier and being located underneath the same, and another of said lazy-tongs extending transversely oi `said rst mentioned lazy-tong and being located underneath said carrier..

10. Apparatus for storing and dispensing material comprising a housing, a carrier mounted for free vertical movement Within said housing, said housing having an opening through its upper surface of a size suicient to ailow said Icarrier to pass therethrough, a plurality of calibrated spring devices for raising and lowering said carrier a distance varying with the Weight of each increment and decrement added to and removed from the material supported by said carrier to thereby maintain the top of the material -supported on said carrier at a predetermined level and a lazy-tong device connected to said housing and said carrier to maintain said carrier horizontal as it moves in a vertical path of travel within said housing.

WILLIAM J. GIBBS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 977,305 Heppe Nov. 29, 1910 1,131,856 ODonnell Mar. 16, 1915 1,198,428 Elsas Sept. 19, 1916 2,034,516 Hunt et al 1 Mar. 17, 1936 2,083,843 Hicks June 15, 1937 2,251,876 Gibbs Aug. 5, 1941 

